


Acceptance

by butterflyfreefall



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: M/M, Rickyl Writers' Group, Rickyl Writers' Group Mini-Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-11
Updated: 2015-12-11
Packaged: 2018-05-06 02:26:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5399381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butterflyfreefall/pseuds/butterflyfreefall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick and Daryl just click. Carl finally gets it.</p><p>Rickyl Writer's Group 400 word mini challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Acceptance

Carl was angry at first, absolutely livid. The fact that his dad could even look at someone after his mom died. How could he? It was disgraceful and Carl did nothing to hide his resentment. 

He watched them. Watched the little interactions. Watched the attitudes. He couldn't help it. He interacted with his father only when he had to. Daryl was another story completely. Daryl's interaction with Carl had never changed. He treated Carl the same as always. 

As time went on, he started to notice things. Subtle things that would mostly go unnoticed by the others in the group. When his father was about to blow, Daryl would shift his stance and all the pressure would be released like a pressure cooker. When Rick would start going too far, Daryl would raise and eyebrow and Rick would stop and calm down. 

It was a wonder to behold the power that Daryl held over Rick with just a movement. His dad depended on the hunter to keep him level and make sure he didn't jump into anything without thinking about what he was doing. No, it wasn't power. It was strength to weakness, it was high to low, it was simply amazing. 

More and more, Carl watched, observed. It wasn't just his dad that got the assistance, Daryl got it, too. When Daryl would have one of his freak out sessions that he'd never admit, one touch from Rick settled him instantly. When Daryl had to reload his crossbow in the middle of a herd, he never had to worry because Rick had his back at all times. 

Since they made it to Alexandria, his dad and Daryl haven't spent much time around each other and it showed. Rick's temper been out of control. Daryl would leave the gates of Alexandria, Rick would unleash on the first person that looked at him wrong. He didn't know about Daryl, but he'd once overheard Aaron talking about Daryl's grumpiness and taking unnecessary risks. 

It was driving Carl nuts when his dad was separated from Daryl, but when they were together, everything was perfect. He was beginning to understand why his dad and Daryl gravitated towards each other, they were both lost in an insane world and -to be honest and cliché- they completed each other.

Carl would most likely never again see a love like his dads had, not in this world.


End file.
